Give Me Back My Brother
by SyberiaWinx
Summary: The story of Chitose Tachibana, from before her brothers' ritual, to after the Repentance, until the end of the game.
1. Hiding

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: Still don't own Fatal Frame 2, Chitose, etc.

Chapter One: Hiding

Chitose Tachibana peered out from from the small slit in the sliding metal door of the storage space under the raised tatami room. She could not hear the unfamiliar voices anymore. Where the strangers finally gone?

Suddenly, the door slid open all the way. Chitose's heart raced as she fell forward…and into something soft. She could feel the object beneath her moving slightly, up and down…it was a person! But who? She was too afraid to look. What if it was a stranger?

"I found you, Chitose!" sang a kind voice.

The child looked up to see a teenager with black hair, dressed in a dreary blue kimono smiling at her. "Itsuki!" she cried in relief, throwing her arms around her older brother.

"The stranger is gone." He told her, and for the first time, Chitose noticed the strain in his smile.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, her little face filled with concern. She had seen such a look on her brother's face rather often recently…What was going on? Was he hiding something from her?

"Nothing." The reply came from a boy standing nearby who looked exactly like Itsuki. That was because he was his twin brother, Mutsuki. "The Ceremony Master just wanted to talk with us a bit before…" His smile waned slightly. They _were_ hiding something! But what?

Mutsuki helped his brother and little sister to their feet. "Why don't the three of us go and do something together?" Chitose was not sure, but she thought she heard him add in a quiet, sad voice, "Before it's too late…"

The three siblings went into the twins' room and played together until night came. But even as they laughed and smiled, Chitose could not shake the feeling that something was wrong…

That night, she had a dream that one of her brother's went far away, and everything became very dark…


	2. Ritual

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the game

Chapter Two: Ritual

The next morning, Chitose woke up to a house bustling with noise. Frightened, she peered out her door and saw that there were many people she did not know standing around. She waited for them to move to another area, then tiptoed out and hurried to her brothers' room.

The boys wore identical white kimonos that were bound at the waist by a long red sash. They were standing close and had small smiles plastered on their faces. Neither said a word, and Itsuki looked like he was about to start crying. In fact, he did a moment later.

"Why does it have to be this way!" he demanded of his brother. "We could leave and then-"

Mutsuki interrupted him, his smile soft and gentle, but a little sad too. "Then Yae and Sae would have to suffer in our stead. We must perform the ritual. For the village…and for them.

Itsuki collapsed to his knees, sobbing hysterically. Mutsuki knelt beside his brother and put his arm around his brother's shaking shoulders. "Don't be sad. Once it is over, we will be one, and no one will ever be able to part us again"

Chitose watched her brothers in silence. _Why is Itsuki so sad? _she wondered. _What is about to happen?_

The rest of the day, Chitose darted from hiding place to hiding place, trying to find the answers to her questions, During this time, she did not see Itsuki and Mutsuki at all, but she kept overhearing the word 'ritual' being mentioned. And in one of the closets she could have sworn she saw a butterfly with crimson wings.

_What is the "ritual" everyone keeps mentioning…? And was that really a crimson butterfly I saw? Something tells me I should hurry and find Itsuki and Mutsuki and ask them what is going on!_

It was dark out by that time. Chitose spotted her brothers at the entrance to her house, surrounded by people. Forgetting her shyness, the little girl ran past the strangers and hugged her brothers.

"What's happening! Where are you going!" she demanded, her voice shaking. Though she was not sure why tears were rolling down her cheeks.

The twins returned the hug, but said nothing. They turned and left, hand-in-hand, followed by all of the strangers. Chitose ran outside and watched them go helplessly, unable to shake the feeling that this "ritual" would change everything…forever…


	3. Missing

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: Yeah, you know already.

To the Reviewers: It will get sadder as it goes on, I believe. And thanks to Bubblesnap who hounds me like a madman/madwoman until I update, making sure I don't slack off. Note: I made a cool Fatal Frame 2 sig-check out my Photobucket account to see it! Note: I also noticed halfway typing that I was doing it in first-person. Is that okay, or should I change it back…?

Chapter Three: Missing

I _knew_ something bad was going to happen! I overheard Daddy saying that the ritual was over. He looked sad, but serious and grim. Itsuki finally came home, but he didn't look like himself at all. His face was even paler than usual, his eyes were red from crying, and he still looked beyond miserable. And even more shocking-his black hair was white!

As he came inside, his head bowed, I noticed something else. My other brother-Mutsuki-was not with him! I had never seen the two of them apart for even a moment-they did everything together!

_Mutsuki…Where are you?_ I wanted to ask Itsuki what had happened, but my feet wouldn't carry me into the room. The grim atmosphere acted as a barrier that prevented me from entering.

Gathering up all of my courage, I stood at the doorway and tried to listen to what they were saying. I could only make out a few words…"ritual"… "butterfly" … "failure"…But they didn't make any sense to me.

Itsuki was in there so long! When he came out and saw me, he gave me a small, sad smile, then shut himself away in his secret room. I knew I could not ask him about Mutsuki right now, so I went and asked Daddy instead.

He did not look at me. "You are much to young to understand, Chitose." With that, he shooed me out of the room.

Something really awful must have happened, I realized. And there was no one who would tell me what in this house. All I knew, was that my big brother was not here, not in the house, or Itsuki would not be so sad. There was only one way I would find him, I thought. But it would involve doing something I had never done by myself before, and even with someone rarely.

I had to look outside of the house.

Sorry it is sop short! The library computers are on timers and I'm almost out! Promise the next one will be a lot longer and much more interesting, as I'm supposed to be getting a computer finally! Read and review, please!


	4. Searching

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: I'm not even gonna say it. I think you all know by now. :P

Author's Note: I'm switching back to third-person view, hope that is ok.

Chapter Four: Searching

Chitose fidgeted nervously. She did not like the thought of going out into the village all by herself. Her eyes were not very good, and even with one of her brothers, she had never gone very far before asking to go back. But she had to find where Mutsuki had gone.

After dinner, the little girl snuck outside. She had decided that was the best time, as it was not too dark then, and very few people would be around. It was relieving, but also a bit eerie to stand alone on the deserted pathway. For a moment, she considered running back inside where it was safe and warm, but the thought of poor Mutsuki all alone somewhere made her start walking.

As children, her brothers had often talked about how they would go to the river on the edge of the village, the one by the cemetery. She knew that place held a very special meaning for the two of them-they had spent nearly every day there. Maybe Mutsuki had gone there?

The youngest Tachibana knew the way there. She had never gone herself, but had heard it often in her brothers' stories. Go up the hill near the Osaka house…follow the path without the Shinto gate…cross the wooden bridge…On the other side, that was where the boys had made their "promise". She did not know what they had promised, but it did not matter right now.

Chitose did not encounter anybody on her way to the infamous Osaka house, but that did not stop her from ducking behind something the instant she heard even the slightest noise. By the time she reached the top of the long, winding hill, her legs were tired, and she was completely out of breath. The sun had already started to sink behind the clouds. If she did not start heading back now, she would never make it home before it got dark.

_But I'm so close…I-I can't turn back now…_

Trembling from the sudden chill in the air, she walked past a stone arrangement that made her think of a monsters claw. By the light of a few lit torches, she saw the old Shinto gate and took the other path. There was the bridge!

_Almost there…I just have to cross the bridge…_

The bridge that crossed to the other side of the river was small, made of thin pieces of wood that were worn with age. A thin rope acted as a railing and was also what kept the bridge up. It made the structure sway as she stepped onto it. Whimpering, she grasped the cord railing with both hands, forcing herself to take a few more steps forward.

A fierce wind picked up, rocking the small, rickety bridge. Black hair whipping wildly against her deathly pale face, little Chitose felt like a helpless rag doll who would be swept away if she dared let go for even a moment. Her wide brown eyes were fixed on the thrashing dark waters that awaited her below the bridge should she happen to let go. All she wanted to do was get off this thing. Using all the strength in her little body to go against the wind that tried to puch her back, she forced herself to take a few more steps, clutching the rope so hard that it hurt.

_"We promised…"_ The wind howled as though it were speaking to the frightened child. Was it her imagination, or did she really hear the anguished words? As the wind seemed to become stronger and stronger, a hurricane of screams and cries and pleas swallowed her up, like a bunch of people had surrounded her and were all speaking at once.

_"You said we would always be together!"_

_"For the sake of the village…"_

"_Why did you break your promise!"_

_"We have to do this…"_

"_I didn't want to die…"_

"_Kill me…"_

"_Together…"_

_"Please…"_

_"…forever…"_

_"I'll forgive you."_

"_Don't kill me!"_

Chitose screamed, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. Her body refused to move anymore. She shook out of cold and fear, unable to feel anything but the aching of her limbs. It was only one big step to reach the other side of the bridge, and then she would be okay…

Gathering all the courage she could muster, the terrified child released the rope and lunged forward. She slammed hard into the cold, rough ground, but felt no pain. Scrambling to her feet she hurried and ducked behind a row of tall ugly stones all scrunched together, some on top of the other.

Her heart racing, Chitose gasped to regain her breath. She was still shaking uncontrollably, and her new kimono was dirty. But she was too panicked to care right then.

When the wind finally died down, the girl calmed down considerably, breathing a huge sigh of relief. She looked around now. This was just beyond the far half of the cemetery, she guessed judging by the stones. There was something small with Japanese kanji scrawled on it hidden amongst the trees, it looked similar to the handmade grave she had made after the death of her cat when she was little. The writing still looked pretty fresh, she thought, as she leaned in for a closer look.

Everything went still, completely silent. Even her heart seemed to stop beating, as she gave a sharp intake of breath. And then she was on her feet, running, as fast as she could. Across the bridge without hesitation, stumbling as she scrambled down the hill. Through the village, for once not caring if anybody saw her.

It _had_ been a gravestone…

…for Mutsuki Tachibana.


	5. Awareness

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights that I know of

To the Reviewers: Thanks for reviewing! And please read and review my fic about the Kiryu twins called "Why Do You Kill?" and I'll write some more chapters for that.

Chapter Five: Awareness

_It's been nearly a year since Mutsuki disappeared, and I still think of him everyday. I think of the gravestone and start crying, but when Itsuki asks me what's wrong, I don't tell him. Everyone seems happy again-I can't talk about Mutsuki anymore…_

Chitose shut her crimson-colored diary and hid it in one of the many closets she hid in. She looked down at the red chord with bells attached to it that was tied around her small, pale wrist. The cord was looped through a key-the key to Itsuki's room, which he had asked her to give to his friend. She had seen her brother's friend and tried to work up the courage to give him the key, but only ended up running and hiding like always.

Her parents had told her that Itsuki would not be back until the strangers who were visiting the village were gone. She sensed there was more to it than what they were telling her, but knew asking would get her nowhere. Lately, she had been noticing a lot of things that worried her.

There was less food on the table these days and a lot more earthquakes. Just like one year ago, people had nervous, sad looks on their faces all the time, and there were crimson butterflies fluttering outside the window. Itsuki had been acting odd too-spending hours locked away in his room. The Kurosawa twins-Sae and Yae-were visiting a lot more often. And every time, the little girl could swear she overheard them talking to Itsuki about a "ritual". Chitose was terrified that now he was going to leave her, just like Mutsuki had a year ago.

Even weirder, whenever they came over, Sae was always looking at Itsuki so strangely. She always seemed like she wanted to say something to him, but never did. Chitose also noticed her face would get red at these times, so one day she asked: "Miss Sae, are you feeling sick?"

The older girl had seemed surprised and asked what made her think that. Chitose had responded that her face got red whenever she saw Itsuki, which made her get even redder and Itsuki too. Yae just laughed until tears came from her eyes.

Chitose felt certain then that something odd was indeed going on in the village, especially with her brother and his friends. She just hoped it wasn't contagious…


	6. Leaving

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The game belongs to someone else

Chapter Six: Leaving

_Now I'm certain that something is going on…Itsuki has hardly any time to spend with me lately, and the Kurosawa twins have not been by the past couple of days. There are even more butterflies now, and the ground moves everyday now. I can't tell Mommy and Daddy, but I'm really scared. They let me wear my special crimson kimono with the gold butterflies today, but I don't feel any better. The last time they told me to wear it, Mutsuki left and never came back…_

_Itsuki…please don't leave me… _

Chitose heard her brother's door open and looked up from where she sat on the floor. He came out with a serious look on his face, dressed in an old white kimono. His mind seemed to be elsewhere, and he nearly walked right by her without a word.

"I-Itsuki...?" the little girl spoke up quietly.

The boy stopped and turned back. A familiar, sad smile appeared on his face when he saw his little sister there. "I'm sorry, Chitose. I have to go with the Kurosawa twins for a little bit." He started walking again.

Chitose scrambled to her feet and hurried after him. "Will you be back soon?" Her heart was heavy with dread.

He paused a bit before answering. "I'll be back…later tonight."

_Why doesn't he look at me..? _Chitose stopped along with him at the entrance. Sae and Yae were already waiting anxiously there. The nervous looks on their faces were hardly a comfort to the little girl. Even worse, she noted they were wearing the same kimonos her brothers had been on the day Mutsuki had disappeared.

"Itsuki…" she whimpered.

If the older boy heard her he ignored her. He stood before the Kurosawa twins and withdrew a small dagger from his kimono. All three girls let out a gasp at the sight of the glinting blade. He slashed downwards, cutting the red sash that joined the twins at the waist. Chitose could not help but wince as the rope that connected them was severed in two.

Now that they were free, Sae and Yae each gave Chitose a hug. Itsuki peered out the front door, then turned back to the embracing girls. "The way is clear. We have to go now, before it's too late."

The twins reluctantly released the child and joined Itsuki. He turned to his sister. "Chitose, do not tell anyone that I have left or that the Kurosawa twins are with me." With that, they were gone.

The youngest Tachibana went and sat in the small closet near the other door in the room. She wanted to be there the minute her brother and the twins returned-_if_ they returned…But hours passed with no sign of them, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

Chitose did not know how much time had passed when she awoke to the sound of frantic, muffled voices. _"The twins have escaped!"_

Fear gripped the little girl. She could hear footsteps approaching the entrance in a hurry and pulled the closet door shut. Too scared to even breath, she clamped her hands over her mouth and listened.

"_We have searched both houses from top to bottom-the twins are nowhere to be found."_

"_The Remaining is gone, too…"_

"_He must be helping them-they are trying to escape the ritual!"_

"_We must tell the Ceremony Master immediately. They are his daughters-he will know what to do."_

The two men left the room in the same quick manner they had entered. Chitose waited until their footsteps faded into the distance before letting out the breath she had been holding. Cautiously peeking first to make sure the room was empty, the small girl climbed out of the closet.

"Itsuki…and Sae and Yae…What are they trying to escape from..?" Again, she did not know the answer, but she wondered if maybe they were running from whatever it was that had taken Mutsuki away. She wanted them to get away safely, but she didn't want to be left behind-not with all these scary people in the house.

Chitose put on her shoes and moved to undo the latch on the entrance. The minute her hand touched the lock, a large, curved blade came crashing through the wood, nearly slicing her fingers off. She was in shock and could only cry out as the door was pounded on from the outside and more blades shattered the wood. One came so close to cutting her face that she could feel the cool metal on her cheek.

Letting out a terrified scream, Chitose stumbled back away from the door. She saw the wood give-way to reveal men standing outside with sickles and other weapons. With a small gasp of fear, she collapsed into a dead faint.


	7. Alone

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Seven: Alone

**IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY.**

"Itsuki!" Chitose cried out, her heart racing. She was sitting in her room, under her bedding. How long had she been asleep? Had those scary men only been a dream? Where was her brother? And Sae and Yae?

The little girl threw the covers off and snuck downstairs. The house was quiet now. She could hear the faint, harsh whispers of unfamiliar voices…There were some strangers left in the house…The other voices were her parents', so she snuck closer to hear what they were saying.

"Itsuki shall remain locked in the storehouse until the ritual has been performed! He helped the twins escape and put the whole village in danger! We have found Sae, but Yae is still missing. You had better hope we find her, for your son's sake."

Chitose snuck away and hurried to the other entrance door-her memory of the main one being broken down by those scary men terrified her, dream or not. She had to go to the storehouse and help Itsuki! She didn't want him to leave her like Mutsuki had…

The front door of the storehouse was locked-she couldn't get in. Suddenly, she heard voices and hid in the brush across from the door to the storehouse. Three men were leading a young girl in a white kimono with a red cord towards the building. Chitose was pretty sure it was Sae, as Yae had apparently run off on her own. The poor girl looked so abandoned and heartbroken, but there was a small glimmer of happiness in her eyes as she slowly walked into the storehouse.

Chitose was scared, but she forced herself to move closer. Her eyes were too bad to see her brother from this far. She could still barely see him, but was able to make out his form seemingly hovering above the floor. She heard Sae gasp in horror-was something wrong with her brother? Why didn't he say something to Sae?

One of the men turned to Sae and told her the ritual was about to begin. Chitose snuck back to the brush and watched as the men locked the storehouse and led the sobbing Sae away. This was all Yae's fault! Because of her, Itsuki had been locked up and Sae was upset! Yae should be the one locked up in the storehouse!

Chitose wiped the tears from eyes and slowly started on her way home. Once again, she heard someone coming and ducked behind one of the houses. She saw some of the villagers carrying her brother's limp form up the hill. Where were they taking him!

The little girl hurried to follow them up the hill and hid behind a tree to watch. Those frightening men let her brother drop roughly to the ground and moved to the well-like stone surrounded by stones that looked like a monster's claw. Together, they pushed the cover off and picked Itsuki up again.

Chitose watched in horror as two men held her brother by his ankles-dangling him over the circular opening. They slowly lowered him so that only his feet were visible, then let him go. There was no sound after that, save for the hysterical screams that escaped from Chitose's mouth.

The villagers turned and muttered something to one another. They gathered around her and picked her up. She felt a sharp pain on the side of her head and everything went black.


	8. Warning

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Eight: Warning

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Same as before. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY. Sorry to be so strict, but BE TRUE-PLEASE REVIEW. :P **

"Itsuki! Mitsuki! Where are you?" Chitose stood alone somewhere in the village-it was too dark to know where exactly. She was cold and scared, shaking with her sobs. "Why is everything so dark?"

A faint, bell-like sound made her look up. Glowing crimson butterflies illuminated the darkness as the danced about in the sky above her. She reached up to touch one, but it disappeared into shimmering dust when her fingertips brushed it's wing.

The child let out a small gasp. She then noticed that the remaining butterflies were moving away from her slowly, as if beckoning her to follow. Not wanting to be left alone in the darkness again, she dried her eyes and started after them.

The insects led her past the Osaka house, to the top of Misono Hill. She followed until they led her to the bridge that crossed over the river to the graveyard. The last time she had been on that bridge…Chitose shuddered thinking back to that horrible day and the frightening things she had seen and heard on the bridge.

"_Chitose…don't be afraid…"_

That voice…so familiar and kind. Taking a deep breath and clutching the old rope that suspended it, the small child slowly made her way across the small bridge. The butterflies were already some distance ahead of her. As she got closer, she saw that they were fluttering around a small, handmade marker…Mutsuki's grave…

"_Chitose…"_

With a startled gasp, the girl turned, expecting to see some frightening ghost eager to attack her. She did see a ghost, but not quite the type she was expecting. In fact, the harder she squinted, it looked almost…familiar…

""Mutsuki..?"

The ghost nodded, smiling warmly at her. _"Chitose…I'm so sorry I left you. I didn't want to, but there was no way for me to escape my fate. At the very least, I thought by going through with it, I would be able to prevent Yae and Sae from suffering this way. But Itsuki couldn't hate me…not even a little. He tried to help the Kurosawa twins escape, but Sae got left behind…"_

"Mutsuki…" The little's girls face was filled with confusion and emotion. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something. "What about Itsuki! Is he with you!"

The older boy shook his head sadly. _"I'm afraid not…I wish I could explain everything, but there is no time!" _His expression became firm, just as Itsuki's had that day he left with the Kurosawa twins.

"_No matter how scared you are, no matter what happens, you must listen to me and do as I say. They are taking Sae to perform the ritual me and Itsuki failed to successfully complete as we speak. Without her sister and as vulnerable as she is right now, something terrible is bound to happen to this village. I can't protect you myself, but at least I can stop you from suffering such a horrible fate. Right now, I am speaking to you in a dream. When you wake up, you must hurry back to Misono Hill and go past the Shinto gate. Keep running until you reach another village or find someone who can help you."_

"W-what about Mommy and Daddy?"

"_You must leave them behind. Very little time is left, and they would no doubt try to stop you. I must go now, Chitose. Don't forget what I have said. Run away from this place and never look back." _The spirit turned and started to walk away.

"Mutsuki!" The little girl ran forward with her arms out to hug her brother and stop him from leaving her again. She went right through him and hit the cold ground hard. Everything around her started to spin and suddenly she was lying in her room again, her head throbbing.

The terrible dream had scared her to death, but she knew it was real…Mutsuki would never lie to her…right? She scrambled out of bed and looked out the window…It was so dark…

No, there was no time to be afraid now. She had to do what Mutsuki had told her-she had to get out of this village!


	9. Repentance

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Nine: Repentance

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Same as before. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY. Sorry to be so strict, but BE TRUE-PLEASE REVIEW. :P **

Chitose was running through the village as fast as her little legs would carry her. It was still very dark outside, but hundreds of crimson butterflies lit her path. She was almost to the Shinto gate…

The well Itsuki had been dropped into made her stop dead in her tracks. A strange black and red mist was billowing from it like smoke and there was a strange sound that she could not make out from where she was standing. She dared to edge a little closer, and listened.

"Laughter..?" Chitose thought that was what the sound was, but… "Is someone inside the well?"

"_Everyone…"_

Chitose heard the surprisingly loud whisper and recognized the voice. "Sae..?"

"_Everyone just _DIE_!" _Sae's voice screamed, causing Chitose to stumble backwards.

Darkness exploded from the well, expanding to cover the entire village. The butterflies were the only light for poor little Chitose, who was now crying. She worked up the courage to scramble to her feet and ran towards the Shinto gate. But it was now overgrown with weeds and there was no visible way to get through.

"_Chi...to...se..." _called Sae's haunting voice.

Chitose turned, trembling. The voice was coming from inside the scary well, as the ground started to tremble violently. Terrified, the little girl took off back down the hill and ran for her own house.

The main entrance was sealed up after the door had been broken when the villagers were looking for Itsuki and the Kurosawa twins. She would have to go through the Kiryu house in order to reach her own. The thought of just barging into that house frightened her, but this was an emergency!

Chitose rounded the corner just in time to see a woman smash violently into the ground before her, face-first. The little girl screamed and quickly ran past the broken corpse, up the hill and into the Kiryu household, which had been abandoned for quite some time. She ran upstairs and through the door that led to the bridge that connected with her own house.

Just as she was starting to pull open the door to enter her home, she heard that voice behind her again.

"_Chitose…"_

The little girl slowly turned. When she saw who had called her, she screamed and scrambled to get the door open. Finding it to be sealed shut, she turned back around and pressed her back against it.

Sae Kurosawa was slowly floating towards her, her now yellow eyes were filled with madness and malice, and her smile was twisted evilly. There was a frightening indent around her neck and red stained her previously all-white kimono. She let out a mad laugh and extended her hand towards the child.

"_Won't you help me look for Itsuki?"_

At the sound of her brother's name, Chitose almost went towards her, but quickly realized that something was very wrong with this Sae. She tried the door again. This time it opened, and she bolted through it.

Mutsuki had been right about something terrible happening. Maybe she couldn't leave the village, but maybe everything would be okay if she hid somewhere until it was over?

Chitose ran to the nearest closet-the one where the kimono boxes were kept-and pulled the lid off of the one on the floor, There was just enough room for her to fit inside, but it would be even darker in there than outside…

Sae's insane laughter and calling of her name was enough of a push for her to climb in and pull the lid back on. She lay there in the darkness, curled up into a little ball for what seemed like an eternity-too afraid to even cry.

New sounds were mixed in with Sae's laughter. People were screaming and pleading in terror, and an agonizing howling sound nearly made the poor girl go deaf. As the sounds got even closer and louder, her little heart felt like it was going to burst she was so afraid. Even with all the other sounds, the panicked racing of her heart was the loudest one to her.

"Help me, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me help me…" she continued to whisper her desperate plea over and over, silent tears starting to pour down her cheeks.

"_Chitose…Come out and play…" _Sae's voice drawled, as the kimono box lid started to move.

Chitose tensed and held her breath, unable to hear anything now but her frantic, pounding heartbeat. She didn't breathe, nor move. Her heart was so loud now, she no longer even seemed to noticed that the lid was slowly being lifted up. It raged in her ears until she felt like she was going to explode.

And then, she couldn't hear it anymore.

Sae slid the lid off to the side a little and peered inside. Chitose's lifeless silvery eyes looked up at her, frozen in terror. Her body did not move at all, and there were still tears on her little porcelain face.

Looking truly remorseful, Sae replaced the lid. _"I'm sorry…Chitose…"_


	10. Discovery

Give Me Back My Brother

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Ten: Discovery

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Same as before. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS!! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY. Sorry to be so strict, but BE TRUE-PLEASE REVIEW. :P **

It was quiet when Chitose finally came to-eerily quiet. At first, she wasn't sure where she was or why it was so dark…then she remembered the darkness covering the town, frightening Sae, and hiding in the kimono box to escape.

Slowly, the little girl got out of the box and looked around. It was dark out, but no more than usual. Everything was silent, and there was no one in sight. Had it all been nothing more than another frightening dream?

Without really meaning to, Chitose started to cry. She ran to the room her brothers had always shared, only to find it empty. Then she remembered that her brothers were gone and wouldn't come back, which only made her even more upset. She turned around and ran to her parents room, only to discover that it, too, was empty.

"Where did everyone go?" she wondered aloud, wandering through her house in search of someone-in search of _anyone_.

Finding no one at all, she decided to go over to the abandoned Kiryu house. Her parents had been going over there a lot these past few days. Even though that place really creeped her out, it was even more unsettling to be all alone in her big house…

Chitose hurried through the house and across the bridge to the Kiryu house, which was nearly identical to her own. She walked across the second floor landing and up where there was a small room. A quiet whisper made her breath a sigh of relief-someone else was here.

"_Why..?" _The whisper repeated over and over, almost as if two people were saying it, trying to overlap eachother.

The frail child followed the sound into the room. "It sounds like it's coming from…that wall?" She pushed on the seemingly normal wall and let out a gasp of surprise as it opened.

"A secret room?" Chitose stepped into a tiny room. Even though it was dark, she could make out a girl in a bluish-colored kimono sitting against the wall to the right, The whispers seemed to be coming from her.

"E-excuse me..?"

The girl did not seem to hear her. She was a little older than Chitose, and her black hair was much longer, completely hiding her face since her hair was down. The whispers stopped suddenly as Chitose moved close and knelt, reaching out of touch the girl's shoulder.

With a creaky sound, the sitting girl stared to move, standing up slowly. Chitose mimicked her movements, now realizing that this was no ordinary girl. She took a few steps back, but the girl just took a few stiff steps in her direction.

"_Don't kill me!" _The girl lunged forward, knocking Chitose to the floor. As Chitose struggled to push her off, she realized that the girl's skin was hard…like wood. She wasn't a girl at all! She was just a doll of some kind!

Chitose shoved the moving doll off her and ran from the small room, shutting the door behind her. Catching her breath, she turned…and came face to face with the girl again. She screamed, but that was all she could do-there was no where left to run.

"_Why do you kill?"_ she asked, taking normal steps towards the smaller child. "_Don't kill…" _She reached her arms out to grab Chitose, who ducked, covering her head protectively.

Nothing happened. She looked up. The girl was nowhere in sight. Confused and shaken up, she ran back to her own house.

"I know…" She gasped for breath. "I'll use my bell. Someone will hear it and come and find me!" She shook her wrist, but no sound came. Gasping, she pulled back her sleeve. The bell Itsuki had given her was gone!

Chitose remembered that she had woken up in the kimono box…Had she accidentally left her bell in there? She had to find it! That bell was a gift from her brother and still had the key to his special room on it.

Running back to the kimono box, she removed the lid and thrust her hand inside. She was able to find the key easily, but it was stuck on something…something white in the low moonlight. It was soft, but so very cold…

The little girl pulled the weighted key up to see what it was stuck on. What came up with it was a lifeless arm-it's red cord tied around its pallid wrist. She shrieked, yanking the key free and breaking the cord in the process. The arm fell back into the box, and she looked in after it.

And then she screamed again. But this time, she was not sure why-whether it was because inside was the corpse the arm belonged to…

…or because that corpse was her own.


	11. Return

Give Me Back My Brother

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Eleven: Return

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Same as before. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS!! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY. Sorry to be so strict, but BE TRUE-PLEASE REVIEW. :P And feel free to pm me your IM name and service if you want to talk. **

"_Itsuki...Itsuki!" _Chitose sniffled, ringing the bell attached to the red cord around her wrist, which still contained the key he had given her. The chime rang out in the darkness, but just like always, no one answered her calls.

How long had she been wandering around her empty house like this, hoping to find her brother? How long had she been…dead? It seemed like an eternity. As the time had slowly passed, she had lost track. And during all those years, she had not seen a single soul besides herself-living or dead. And just like in life, the minute she thought she heard or saw something, she went ducking out of view.

She did this now, certain she saw someone moving at the end of the hall. Daring to peek out from her hiding place, she was shocked to see that there was in fact someone, but because of the darkness and her bad eyesight, she could not tell who-or what-it was.

Gather up what little courage she had, the ghost girl followed from a distance as the person went through a door, holding her bell so that it wouldn't make a sound. She went through and rounded the corner, stopping dead in her tracks as she saw the girl only a few feet in front of her.

The girl appeared to still be alive-about fifteen years old-and was trying to open the door to her brother's special room. She wore strange clothes, but her short black hair and brown eyes were familiar and led Chitose to recognize her immediately.

_Yae! _This girl was without a doubt, Yae Kurosawa. It was because of her that Itsuki was taken away from her and locked up. She was the reason that the village was like this now. It was her fault that she was all alone!

Chitose felt anger swell up inside her. Yae had not noticed her yet, and was looking in the window to her brother's room, calling out the name "Mayu". Clenching her fists tightly, the little girl spoke in a timid whisper.

"_Give me back my brother!"_

Yae gasped and turned, looking straight at her. Frightened, Chitose turned and ran, her bell ringing as she went through the door. She ran and hid in the floor closet where she kept her diary hidden.

_It's not fair! Yae caused everyone to die, but she is still alive! She deserves to suffer like we all have!_ Chitose felt her anger returning.

The closet door slowly started to open. Chitose sank into the shadows. Yae crawled in, waving a strange torch around. The light rested on the red diary on the shelf in back of the closet. The teen moved towards it, but froze as she became aware of the presence of the ghost's face right beside her own.

Chitose moved forward and grabbed onto her. _"Give me back my brother!"_

The other girl cried out in pain and fear, falling onto her back as she tried to pull away. She raised a camera and pointed it at the ghost, pushing down the shutter button. There was a blinding flash of white light, quickly flooding the little girl's body with pain. Crying out, she crawled right through the teen and out of the closet. She ran down in hall in panic.

_That hurt! What kind of camera was that?! _The child struggled to hold back her tears. She hid in another closet-the same one she had waited in when her brother left with the Kurosawa twins…When he had left and never came back…

Much to Chitose's horror, Yae discovered her hiding place again. When the older girl raised her camera, Chitose fell to her knees, covering her eyes to hide her tears. She raised her face to look at the other girl and let out a piercing wail. The room was instantly blanketed in pitch black darkness. Chitose took advantage of her opponent's blindness and ran from the room. This time, she hid in a normal closet.

_She'll find me again…I've got to stop her. With that camera…She might hurt Itsuki!_

Looking through the crack in the closet door, she saw Yae standing in the room, back to her hiding place. Now was the perfect time to surprise her and make her pay for how much she had hurt everyone. She struggled to reopen the door and crawled out of the closet. Running forward, she threw her arms around the girl's waist.

"_Give me back my brother!"_

Yae raised her camera and took a picture before the child could react. The girl sank to her knees in tears.

"_Itsuki…"_ She faded and reappeared in another section of the room.

Chitose pulled on Yae's arm, making her scream. Yae pulled away and snapped a picture of the little ghost as she came towards her and was about to grab her again.

A pain even more agonizing than the first hit Chitose, sending her flying back through the wall. She wailed in agony as the force of the blast pushed her into a neighboring room, where shecollapsed on the floor. Laying there in a heap, she let the tears stream freely down her white cheeks.

"_Itsuki…"_


	12. Found

Give Me Back My Brother

Disclaimer: The rights are not mine

Chapter Twelve: Found

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Same as before. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS!! IF I DO NOT GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER, I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THIS STORY. Sorry to be so strict, but BE TRUE-PLEASE REVIEW. :P And feel free to pm me your IM name and service if you want to talk.**

**And please read and review my story about the Handmaidens/Pacifiers from Fatal Frame III. It is called "Hurt".**

"_I found you, Chitose!" _

Chitose Tachibana sniffled, finally feeling strong enough to struggle to her feet after her encounter with Yae. She had been unconscious for some time, but it seemed as though Yae had left the house by the time she had came to.

"_Why does it have to be this way?!"_

The little girl rubbed at her eyes and slowly started walking, no longer caring if anyone saw her. She just wanted to get out of this nightmare-she just wanted to see her brothers again-she just didn't want to be alone anymore…

"_You are much too young to understand, Chitose."_

Going right through the door, she continued wandering aimlessly through her empty home. It was even quieter than usual-she didn't even hear the agonized moans of the other villagers that often frightened her.

"_I didn't want to die…"_

Was the new silence why the atmosphere of the house seemed different to her? She felt strange-like a weight had been lifted from her heart. But she was still scared and all alone, so what did it matter?

"_I can't talk about Mutsuki anymore…"_

The little girl wondered about Yae. For some reason, just thinking of her no longer made her feel angry, just sad. Why had she returned after all this time? Had she maybe come back to try and fix her mistakes or perhaps to see Sae? And that picture box of hers…If she had kept taking her picture with that awful thing, what would have happened to her?

"_I'll be back…later tonight."_

Chitose found herself in the room that led to the bridge that connected her house to the Kiryu's. There was a large closet in it, which was used to store bedding. She went inside and sat in the corner of the small, crowded space.

"_Itsuki!"_

Itsuki and Mutsuki had lied to her. They had both promised to always find her, no matter where she hid. If they ever left her, they would make sure to come back. But they hadn't. They had both left her and never returned. She had been hiding like this for a very long time over the eternity she had been trapped here, but the only person who had ever found her was Yae. Why had they lied? Why hadn't they come back? Why hadn't they found her? Didn't they love her anymore?

"_Run away from this place and never look back."_

"Itsuki…Mutsuki…_Someone…_find me."

"_Everyone just DIE!!!"_

Her sniffles turned to sobs. Hugging her knees to her chest, she buried her face in the soft fabric of her red kimono and let it soak up her tears. No one was ever going to find her.

"_Why do you kill?"_

Still crying, Chitose pulled her bell from inside her kimono. She had found it shortly after waking up. The red cord has ripped and the key was gone, but it was otherwise intact. Not bothering to look up, she weakly shook it, her body wracking with sobs at the realization that it did not matter how hard she shook it-it never had changed anything.

"_Give me back my brother!"_

A sudden noise from the other side of the closet door startled her. Stuffing her bell back in her kimono, she tried unsuccessfully to muffle her sobs so as not to be discovered by whoever was there. Still crying hysterically she held the door shut with all her strength, her small body pressed up against it. She felt it start to move under her and squeezed her eyes shut in terror, unable to do anything as it slid open and she fell forward.

The pain from her body colliding with the floor that she expected never came, as she instead fell against something soft and warm-a person. She felt their hands wrap around her waist, holding her tightly as she tried to struggle. Another pair of hands found her shoulders. Heart racing, she shook her head wildly as she sobbed, desperately trying to free herself from her captors.

"Chitose…" said the person she had fell onto.

"…we found you." the other one finished.

A chord in her heart struck, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, her body felt consumed in warmth. Her sobs stopped in an instant, and she slowly raised her tear-streaked face. She shifted her dark eyes from one face to the other, her gaze widening. Identical boys, with short black hair and warm smiles.

The boy who she had collapsed onto embraced her, tears in his eyes. Itsuki repeated his brother's words. "We found you…"

Mustuki wiped away his own tears and embraced them both, together, finishing:

"…And we'll never let you go again."


End file.
